1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to flattened bags or sleeves for containing baskets, and particularly, flattened bags or sleeves having gussets used to contain baskets, and methods of making and using same.
2. Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed under 37 CFR § 1.97 and 37 CFR § 1.98
Sheets of material have been formed into bags and decorative covers for various items. Such bags often are folded for easy shipment and storage.
Usually, however, the item placed in such a bag must be sized to fit the bag. The bag, that is, has not been formed to conform to the shape of the item placed within it. Further, when a decorative cover has been formed to conform to an item, the decorative cover often cannot be folded and flattened so that the cover can be easily shipped and stored.
The present invention contemplates bags formed from sheets of material and sleeves, which conform to the shape of an object placed within the bag, in this instance, a basket. Further, many of the bags disclosed herein have gussets, either in the side of the bag, the bottom of the bag, or both, which permit the bag to conform to the shape of the object it contains. Such gussets permit the present bag to expand and contract to closely follow the contours of the object placed within the bag. In this way, the bag closely follows the overall shape and contours of the outer surface of the object, such as a basket, placed within the bag. Further, such gussets permit the bag to be folded into a shape which makes shipping and/or storage easy, and conserving of space. The gussets also permit the bag, even if of an unusual shape when opened and expanded to receive an object, to be folded and flattened into a smaller and/or more symmetrical shape, and which again enhances ease of shipping and/or storage.
It is an objective of the present invention to provide a bag having gussets in the sides and/or bottom of the bag. It is a goal of this invention that the gussets in the bag permit the bag to be folded and flattened for storage and/or shipment. It is a further objective of the present invention to have a bag which expands when opened, forming an object retaining space. It is a further goal of this invention that the bag conforms closely to the overall shape and contours of the outer surface of an object placed within the object retaining space when the bag is opened. It is yet a further objective of the present invention that the bag conforms to the contours of the object placed within the bag when the bag is closed and/or sealed about the object.